Active Now

Element 99
DannyPetti
Discussion » Questions » Life and Society » Freedom of speech is the liberty to speak opinions without fear from government but is government the only thing to fear?

Freedom of speech is the liberty to speak opinions without fear from government but is government the only thing to fear?

Posted - November 19, 2016

Responses


  • 46117
    I wouldn't like to  have a debilitating disease that eats away at my carcass daily until I die screaming of pain. 
      November 19, 2016 4:01 PM MST
    1

  • 53351
    A carcass is already dead. 
    __
      November 20, 2016 6:45 AM MST
    0

  • No. We only have freedom of speech until we say something someone else disagree with.  Then we are horrid hateful spiteful degenerates. 
      November 19, 2016 4:30 PM MST
    4

  • 33780
    Deplorables.
      November 19, 2016 4:58 PM MST
    2

  • Yepper....
      November 19, 2016 5:22 PM MST
    2

  • 53351
    Bigoted, hateful racists. 
    ~
      November 19, 2016 5:58 PM MST
    1

  • 3934
    That is not a fair characterization.

    Yes, you have the freedom to say Mexicans are rapists, Syrian refugees are terrorists, and women are horrible b*tches who deserve to be grabbed by their genitalia.

    And if you DO say those things, or forgive someone who says those things, then you ARE deplorable, and I will deplore you with whatever rhetorical ferocity I can muster.

    If you don't want to be accused of such negative traits, DON'T engage in the behavior (employing or supporting those who employ bigoted hateful speech) which confirms you are exactly what your critics say you are.

    This isn't grand political theory. This is simple kindness/politeness we teach our grade-school children ("Timmy, if you call Jamal a 'N*gg*r', Pedro a 'Sp*c', Hassan a 'F***ing Towelhead', or Nancy a 'B**ch', you are a BAD person").

    The fact that a rich/famous person does it, or a bunch of the rich/famous person's followers do it in service of some perceived Grand Political Revolution  doesn't make them any less bad than Timmy.
      November 19, 2016 7:05 PM MST
    3

  • 46117
    This piece of garbage gets on TV all day long doing Adolph Hitler rants and this is the type of reaction we get from people who are supposedly sane. 

    There is not one thing left to say.  They will come at you over and over like we are the bad guys.  We are calling them BAD names. 

    Trump is up there denigrating every one of these fools and they are hurt because we know they are fools

    I'm sorry I offended you.    Your lack of insight and ability to reason offends me. All of you.
      November 20, 2016 12:08 AM MST
    0

  • I never said I support that kind of talk, I am totally against it. I do not call any one group of people anything. Nothing in my comment had any political indications, none. I do NOT agree with the name calling. I meant it in the broader aspect of everyday life in general.
      November 20, 2016 10:43 AM MST
    0

  • 3934
    @Karen -- We live in strange times. As comedian John Oliver pointed out, the recent election of Donald Trump suggests no crazy uncle is too racist to be elected President...and yet the people who seem to most often complain about abridgement of free speech and "political correctness" are the people who wish to emulate, support, and/or defend the Crazy Uncle in Chief.

    I read your comment in that context and misterpreted it.
      November 20, 2016 10:53 AM MST
    1

  • Thank you. I do not support Trump, I do not like Trump, until the appointment of Bannon, I was willing to at least try to give him a chance. . I do not like classifying a group of people into one little box of hatred. I guess everything is being taken as a political statement right now, so I can understand the confusion. Please, please understand that I do not support hate speech, I do not use hate speech. I have a very dim view of those who use it, but I do understand their right to say it. I have never and would never agree with ANY form of racist comments. My daughter is 1/4 Mexican, two of my cousins are 1/2 Mexican. My sister-in-law is 100% Laotian. I have two second cousins who are 1/2 Greek. my daughter has dated both black and white, I have no issue with either one. My niece is lesbian, I love her with all my heart. My nephew has dated both male and female, I love him with all my heart. I have never tried to stifle anyone for any reason. If I don't agree with someone, I will state my opinion, but I won't tell them they have no right to say anything, that doesn't mean I agree with them though. 
      November 20, 2016 11:20 AM MST
    0

  • 3934
    @Karen -- Thank you, too. It is good to hear in these bizarre times, you are still (somewhat) sane.
      November 20, 2016 11:41 AM MST
    0

  • LOL! At least you threw in the 'somewhat', otherwise, I'd start worrying about you. :)
      November 20, 2016 11:52 AM MST
    0

  • 17261
    Really Karen?
      November 19, 2016 11:57 PM MST
    1

  • 46117
    She's serious. 
      November 20, 2016 12:09 AM MST
    0

  • In a sense, yes. People claim free speech until you say something they disagree with. How many times have you seen that in action on here? People say something and others jump on them and call them names, and say they just need to shut-up? The protesters have the right to free speech, but the opposing side is trying to shut them down. I'm just saying that not everyone respects others rights of free speech, when it goes against their own doctoring. Protesters are being attacked just for standing up for what they believe in. 
      November 20, 2016 10:01 AM MST
    0

  • 17261
    I must say I disagree. Some will maybe shout stuff like that. Some will also call their opponents very ugly and degrading names, some are taking it the step wider and attacking, insulting, victimizing groups of people calling it anti-PC. That is bigotry, harassing and bullying no matter which way you try to turn it. It has absolutely nothing to do with freedom of speech. One can make their opinion without doing this, or they will have a bad standpoint anyway. To be honest with you, your initial reply reminds me too much about the less pleasant parts of the Trump supporters and their ways of arguing why it is okay to make use of such hateful speech in a political debate. I get all the wrong associations reading this. 
      November 20, 2016 10:23 AM MST
    0

  • Sorry if it came off that way, it was not my intention. I wasn't really talking about politics, but used that in my last reply. Hateful speech is never ok, and I do not condone it. I'm just saying people have a habit of telling others  how stupid they are and even getting to the point of fighting over differing opinions. This goes for just about any subject you can think of from religion to how to raise your kids, to having your cat de-clawed. The ones who do use hate speech are trying to stifle those with differing opinions, thus trying to take away their freedom of speech, that's all i'm saying. There was no deep dark meaning to what I said, I guess I just didn't word it clearly. I will take the responsibility for that.    
      November 20, 2016 10:38 AM MST
    0

  • 17261
    That's okay and sorry for getting my associations as I did. The comment someone made about deplorables, and your yepper reply had me perceive in such ways. I wish you a lovely day Karen.  
      November 20, 2016 10:49 AM MST
    1

  • That is a hot topic word right now. 
    ((HUGS))
      November 20, 2016 11:21 AM MST
    1

  • 17261
    Mhmm. 
      November 20, 2016 11:29 AM MST
    1

  • 5808
    no.
    there's those wackos
    who will punch a 60 tear old woman 
    in the face, and take her purse
    and while she is laying
    on the sidewalk
    kick her and grab her jewelry  as well...


      November 19, 2016 4:50 PM MST
    1

  • Nope.
    It's extremely sensible to fear the reactions of people to any speech that causes offense or harm.
      November 19, 2016 5:39 PM MST
    2

  • 53351
    I fear the grammar that some people use. Does that count?

    :|
      November 19, 2016 5:57 PM MST
    2